Clothes sprinkling devices



Dec. 20, 1955 MAUZY Q CLOTHES SPRINKLING DEVICES Filed April 16, 1953INVENTOR Ldur'd fl. Mdu5v BY W Q WWW CLOTHES SPRINKLING DEVICES Laura A.Mauzy, Memphis, Tenn. Application April 16, 1953, Serial No. 349,290

4 Claims. (Cl. 299-90) This invention relates to certain new and usefulimprovements in devices particularly adapted for conveniently sprinklingclothes for the purpose of dampening same preparatory to ironing orpressing such clothes following laundering thereof.

Many attempts have heretofore been made to produce a satisfactoryclothes sprinkling device for handy use in conjunction with the homepreparation of clothing for such pressing operation, but such previousefforts to produce a device of this general character have failed tosatisfactorily accomplish the purpose. In particular the previousdevices have inadequately provided for the proper diffusion of thesprinkling water to be dispensed from the device and have failed toproperly limit the quantity of water to be delivered from the deviceduring sprinkling, with the result that such prior sprinkling effortshave accomplished irregular and uneven dampening, producing largedampened, wet spots and Wide dry areas adjacent, resulting in anunevenness of processing which is highly undesirable in the finishing ofclothes. In addition prior devices have failed to satisfactorily providefor the removable attachment of the sprinkler head to a containingdevice and frequently have permitted leakage from the container as wellas often failing to properly retain the sprinkler head on the container,resulting in the wholesale spillage of the contents when the sprinklerhead is accidentally discharged.

The principal object of the present invention is to provide a clothessprinkling device which Will be readily handled by the user and whichcomprises a compressible bulb for expelling the water or othersprinkling liquid from the container, together with a sprinkler headthreadedly engaged with the container.

A further object of the invention is to provide a clothes sprinklingdevice having a compressible bulb container with a widely flaredsprinkler head containing a minimum of apertures through the head, inwhich the apertures are projected angularly through the materialcomprising the sprinkler head.

A further object of the invention is to provide in a hand clothessprinkling device a sprinkler head having apertures widely angledoutwardly relative to the substantially dome top of the sprinkler headto accomplish diffusion of the sprinkling liquid; and

A further object of the invention is to generally improve the design,construction and efiiciency of means for sprinkling clothes.

The means by which the foregoing and other objects of the invention areaccomplished and the manner of their accomplishment will readily beunderstood from the following specification upon reference to theaccompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the preferred embodiment of the presentinvention.

Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the device.

Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional view taken as on the line III-III of Fig.2.

2,727,787 Patented Dec. 20, 1955 "ice Fig. 4 is an inverted view,otherwise similar to Fig. 3, and illustrating the device under useconditions.

Referring now to the drawings in which the various parts are indicatedby numerals, the container body 10 of the device consists of acompressible bulb portion 11 which is imperforate throughout its sidesand bottom and is formed of flexible and resilient material, preferablybeing formed as of rubber or similar material.

To the upper end of the bulb portion 11 is integrally formed an upwardlyopen neck portion 13 which is provided with an internally threadedbushing 15. The threaded bushing 15 is adapted to receive and threadedlyengage the externally threaded stem 17 of a sprinkler head 19. Thesprinkler head 19 is downwardly open as at 21, providing a mouth adaptedto communicate into the interior of bulb portion 11 and to receivetherefrom liquid contained therein as the water 22.

Preferably a Washer 23 is interposed below the lower end of stem 17 andeffects a seal in cooperation with the wall of neck 13. The sprinklerhead 19 is provided with an overlying substantially circular top 25which is upwardly arched and is more abruptly turned downwardly adjacentits edges. The dome top 25 merges into a lower portion 26 which mergesinto the stem 17 and the lower or under section 26 outwardly from thestem engages against the upper end of neck portion 13, providing apositive seat of the sprinkler head in proper assembled position.Preferably top 25 is provided with a radially inner set of apertures 27and a radially outer set of apertures 29 which are arranged inconcentric inner and outer bands and the apertures are disposed equallyspaced about the respective bands.

It will be observed that in the preferred embodiment of the device aminimum plurality of apertures is provided, there being shown andpreferred no more than three apertures in each of the bands of aperturesformed through the dome top 25. As is best shown in Fig. 3, each of theapertures 27, 29 is formed at an extremely fiat angle of inclination tothe horizontal and to the material of top 25 through which the aperturesextend, with the result that each of the apertures 27, 29 is flaredoutwardly so as to direct in an area of large diffusion.

In the preparation of the device for use, sprinkler head 19 is removedfrom the bulb portion 11 by unscrewing stem 17 from threaded bushing 15.The interior of bulb portion 11 is supplied with a desired quantity ofliquid 22, which customarily is water, and the sprinkler head replacedby reengaging stem 17 with bushing 15, the threading of the stern intoengagement with the bushing being continued until the end of the stemengages the washer 23, at which time the outwardly flared under surface26 of the sprinkler head will engage against the upper edge of neckportion 13.

With the device thus prepared for use, it may be employed for accuratelydampening clothes which are to be ironed or pressed. In use the deviceis inverted and bulb 11 may be compressed, expressing liquid 22 throughapertures 27, 29. By virtue of the angularity of the apertures relativeto top 25, the expressed liquid is discharged at a flat angle ofdiffusion, thus eliminating the undesired accumulation of excessmoisture in a localized concentration.

In addition, by virtue of the arrangement of the sprinkler head 19 andthe manner of its engagement with neck 13, accidental displacement ofthe head during use of the device is prevented, and leakage and spillageadditionally is avoided.

I claim:

1. In a clothes sprinkler device, a hollow compressible bulb-like bodyformed of resilient imperforate material and having an internallythreaded neck, said neck adjacent its junction with said body having anintegral portion below the threads in said neck and projecting inwardlybeyond said threads, a sprinkler head comprising a top portion and anunder portion connected to and spaced from said top portion, a hollowstern threadedly engaging said neck, the lower end of said sternoverlying and being sealed to said integral portion, said stern be ingattached to said under portion, said sprinkler head widelyflaringoutwardly with said under portion 'overlying said neck and seatingagainst said neck when said stem is fully threaded thereinto, said topportion being provided with widely spaced apertures, said apertures being arranged at a substantially flat angle of inclination relative tothe plane of said top and being directed substantially radiallyoutwardly, said body being adapted to receive a supply of sprinklingliquid thereinto and being compressible to express such liquid outwardlythrough said apertures, the angular disposition of said aperturesrelative to said top widely diffusing expressed liquid to minimizelocalized moisture concentration.

2. In a clothes sprinkler device, a hollow compressible bulb-like bodyformed of resilient imperforate material and having a hollow neck, saidneck including an integral portion extending inwardly from the wall ofsaid neck adjacent its connection to said body, a sprinkler headcomprising spaced apart top and under portions, a hollow stem connectedto said under portion and engaging said neck, the lower end of said stemoverlying and being sealed to said inwardly projecting portion, saidsprinkler head widely flaring outwardly with said under portionoverlying said neck and seating against said neck when said stem isfully engaged thereinto, said top portionvbeing provided with widelyspaced apertures, said apertures being arranged at a substantially flatangle of inclination relative to the material of said top and beingdirected substantially radially outwardly, said body being adapted toreceive a supply of sprinkling liquid thereinto and being compressibleto express such liquid outwardly through said apertures, the angulardisposition of said apertures relative to said top widely dififusingexpressed liquid to minimize localized moisture concentration.

3. In a clothes sprinkler device, a hollow compressible bulb-like bodyformed of resilient imperforate material and having an internallythreaded neck, said neck adjacent its junction with said bodyhaving anintegral portion below the threads in said neck and projecting inwardlybeyond said threads, a sprinkler head comprising a top portion and anunder portion connected to and spaced from said top portion, a hollowstern threadedly engaging said neck, the lower end of said stemoverlying and being sealed to said integral portion, said stem beingattached to said under portion, said sprinkler head widely flaringoutwardly with said under portion overlying said neck and seatingagainst said neck when said stem is fully threaded thereinto, said topportion being provided with spaced apertures, said body being adapted toreceive a supply of sprinkling liquid thereinto and being compressibleto express said'liquid outwardly through said apertures.

4. In a clothes sprinkler device, a hollow compressible bulb-like bodyformed of resilient imperi'orate material and having a hollow neck, saidneck including an integral portion extending inwardly from the Wall ofsaid neck adjacent its connection to said body, a sprinkler headcomprising spaced apart top and under portions, a hollow stern connectedto said under portion and engaging said neck, the lower end of said stemoverlying and being sealed to said inwardly projecting portion, saidsprinkler head widely flaring outwardly with said under portionunderlying said neck and seating against said neck when said stem isfully engaged thereinto, said top portion being provided with widelyspaced apertures, said body being adapted to receive a supply ofsprinkling liquid thereinto and beingcompressible to express said liquidoutwardly through said apertures.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS

